Improvement in trimming or cutting attachments for sewing-machines



2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

`w. A. SPRINGER.

ing Attachments for Machines.

Trimming or Cntt Sewing Patented Feb. 10,1874.

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'ments for sewing-machines.

" Nrrnn STATES- ATENLQE IVILLIAM A. SPRINGER, OF MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, HENRY EXLEY, AND HENRY PARSONS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPRGVEMENT IN TRIMMING OR CUTTING ATTACHMENTS FOR SEWlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,441, dated February `10, 1874; application filed December 11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WLLIAM A. SPRINGER, of Marlborough, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Trimming or Cutting Attachment for Sewing-Machines and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specifica-tion, is a description of my invent-ion sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

United States Letters Patent No. 142,290, dated August 26, 1873, have been granted to me for an improvement in trimming attach- In said patent I show arotary disk-cutter fixed on a shaft above the work-supporting plate, and having a positive continuous rotative movement imparted to it, the bottom of the cutting-edge extending down below the top surface of the workplate, and close to the path of the needle, and the cutter operating to trim off the edge ofthe work, so as to leave a iinished edge parallel to or equidistant from the line of stitches.

In my present invention I use a similar cutter, and for the same purpose; but to improve its cutting action, and to render the edge more enduring as to keenness, I impart to the cutter not only its positive and continuous rotative movement, but also a reciprocating vertical movement, the cutter being raised when the work is fed, and descending and cutting only when the work is stationary. Operated in this manner, I find that the cutting is more easily performed, and that the cutting-edge is not dulled so soon as when the work is fed forward against the cutter. My present invention consists, primarily, in combining, with the stitch-formin g and the feeding mechanism, the cutter having the combined rotative andreciproca-ting vertical movements.

The drawing represents a machine embodying the invention.

Figure l shows the machine in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line x fr. Fig. 3 is a plan of the work-plate and the mechanism thereon.

a denotes the workplate, b the needle, c the presser-foot, d the feedbar, of an ordinary sewing-machine. The front part of the work-plate is shown as covered by a thin plate, e, in which is made a narrow slot or groove, f, the front wall of which forms an edge, against which the straight face of the cutter-wheel g, or the edge of such wheel, runs to cut with a shearcut. This groove or slot I prefer to make by` forming the plate c with a long slot, one wall of which makes the wall against which the cutter plays, and with a slide, h., ruiming into this slot, this slide being cut away at c' to forni the groove, the edge j forming one wall thereof.

The cutter g is fixed upon the end of a shaft, k, turning in bearings lon a plate, m, which plate is hinged at n. The opposite end ofthe shaft bears a gear, o, which meshes into and is driven by a gear, p, on a shaft, q, connected to the driving-shaft by pulleys r r and a belt, s. The plate m is made capable of vertical swing movements on the hinge-pin n, and is pressed up against a stop-lever, t, by a suitable spring, u. Under the work-plate a is a lever, fu, connected by a link, w, with an eccentric, on the needle-driving shaft y, and from this lever extends an arm, z, to which the stoplever tis jointed, the arm extending through the workplate and through a slot, a?, in the hinged plate, and the link w extending through the work-plate and through a slot, b2, in the hinged plate.

As the shaft y in turning throws down the needle, the eccentric depresses the link yw, and the lilik the lever fn, the lever, by its eonneetion with the stop-lever t, against which the spring bears the hinged plate, drawing down the hinged plate, and thereby carrying the cutter-shaft and cutter down, the descent of the cutter being after the feed of the work', so that the cutter acts both by its downward Inovement and its rotative movement. As the shaft y turns to raise the needle, the eccentric per mits the link w to rise, and the spring throws up the hinged plate and the cutter, the rise taking place before the work is fed. By turning the lever t down to the plate m, the plate will be raised by its spring sufficiently to permit the work to be readily introduced beneath the cutter-wheel.

The plate m is hinged to a pin, c2, extendingV Yis raised, it may be slid back upon the pin c2,

through ears or bearings d2, and, when the plate I the slots c2 b2 permitting thc plate to move. \Vhen thus moved, work may be introduced over the greater part ot' the surface of the work-plate for common sewing', or where there is to be no trimming, and, by withdrawing the pin c2, and the pin .2', and nut g2, Jthe plate m and link fw maybe wholly removed, and also the bearings d'2, each of which is made with a screw-shank, screwingv into a nut-thread in the workplatc.

I claiml. In conlbination with a stitch-iorniing and iccd mechanism, a positively-rotated cutter havin g a vvertical reciprocating movement, substantiall y as and for the purpose set fort-b.

2. In combination with the plate a, the slide 7:, cut to form the slot or groove i, substantially as shown and described.

14h/mi y The hinged bearing-plate m, carrying` a cutter, and having a spring to force it upward, combined with an eccentric, x, and link w to force it downward, substantially as shown and described.

eL. lhe eccentric a', link 10, lever r, arm z, and cam-lever t and plate m, combined and operating1 substantially as shown and described.

In combination with the hinged plate for supporting` the cutter, the removable bearings d2, substantially as shown and described. 1QExecuted this 21 st day of November, A. l).

\VILLIAM A. SPRINGER.

\\'itncsses:

CLIFTON D. HUNTER, WILLIE A. ONTHANK. 

